A Way to God

In his new book A Way to God: Thomas Merton’s Creation Spirituality Journey (2016), Matthew Fox writes from the perspective of not only knowing and corresponding with Merton, but also with an admiration of Merton’s readiness to be continually learning and growing.

A Way to God references numerous quotes from the writings of Thomas Merton linking these with his own writing as well as other well known authors such as Meister Eckhart, St. Augustine, Julian of Norwich, Carl Jung and D.T. Suzuki. Fox points out, “It is important to see the evolution in Merton’s thinking that Suzuki and Eckhart brought about – It was only later, and with the help of Suzuki, that Merton truly entered into Eckhart’s creation-centered worldview”.

This is a very insightful book which clearly explores the Four Paths of Creation Spirituality – the Via Positiva, Via Negativa, Via Creativa, and Via Transformativa. These Four Paths assist us in grasping the depth of Merton’s journey.

Valerie van Cauwenberghe CSJ

Matthew Fox on Thomas Merton

If you haven't read it yet, rush out and get a copy!

Many of you may have already read this book, since it was first published in 2009. A copy was given to me by a friend a few weeks ago – and my recommendation is that if you haven’t read it yet, rush out and get a copy immediately! 

I knew little of Guernsey and the other Channel Islands, other than a memory of reciting them off in school geography lessons many years ago - Guernsey, Jersey, Alderney and Sark – but this book will certainly bring to light a picture of Guernsey and its people at the time of the German Occupation during World War II, and the aftermath and attempt at recovery and stability in 1946.

The story is comprised of a series of letters exchanged between Juliet, an aspiring young author, the members of The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society and other local residents, and her friends.  Jumping from character to character and incident to incident, we are introduced from one Guernsey inhabitant to another and so are given a crystal-clear picture of the individual personalities, their acts of heroism during this time of war and occupation, their fearlessness, kindness, and their struggles. 

The letters merge to give us a book will make you laugh.  It will also make you weep, sometimes with sadness, but often with tears of joy at the reminder of the strength of the human character through tragic and difficult times, the survival resources that can be mustered, and the essential goodness and hopes of the human spirit. 

Guest Blogger: Margaret Magee, Administrative Coordinator, Federation of Sisters of St. Joseph of Canada

THE GUERNSEY LITERARY AND POTATO PEEL PIE SOCIETY
By Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows

Food Trends

Have you heard about Generation YUM? They are a large subset of Millennials or Generation Y. Those who were born between the early 80’s and the early 2000’s. In a recent interview on the AGENDA, host Steve Paikin spoke with author, Eve Turow Paul, a free-lance food, travel and culture writer. Her new e-book, “A Taste of Generation YUM” has just been released. The author admitted that it was her own curiosity which prompted her research into the reasons behind the changing relationships of Millennials with food. In her search for answers, she interviewed many of her peers and numerous food leaders. Her findings supported her initial observations that significant numbers of Generation Y are truly obsessed with all things food. ‘Foodies’ par excellence, she labeled Generation Y also as Generation YUM.

Rachel Greenburger, in her review of “A Taste of Generation YUM,” highlights, “Plenty has been written on Millennials, but not much on their relationships to food and certainly not what underpins it.” One point that I found particularly intriguing about Generation YUM, those who have grown up in a highly technological sphere, was the convergence of their obsession with food. Although Millennials are overly connected in the digital space, it appears they long for the connection and grounding that food offers. Food is their anti-technological antidote for what’s missing in their digitized lives. Food is their source of sensory stimulation beyond their eyes and fingertips. It provides real time face-to-face connection, a source of peer identity and a sense of control. To learn more about Eve Turow Paul’s findings, access the 15 minute interview between Steve and Eve at https://youtu.be/yzg0kPavj-Al. It’s well worth your time.

What might your own food choices indicate about your own relationship with food?

Nancy Wales, CSJ
on behalf of the Federation Ecology Committee

The War That Ended Peace

The War That Ended Peace, written by Margaret MacMillan, is a fascinating read of the road that lead to the First World War (1914). This is of course a historical tale which holds the reader to the very end because Margaret MacMillan brings to life the chief characters that were involved in the drama of World War I from the outset. It is not a description of the battles won and lost but rather a very keen examination of the leaders: their temperaments, abilities to govern wisely and their leadership qualities particularly related to the business of warfare.  This perspective enhances the readers’ understanding of not only the unfolding of events that led to the Great War but also the war itself. Actually I found it interesting that the lead up to the war lasted a long time – so long that the war became a necessity because the preparations and the time they took to prepare could not be wasted. This more personal approach to the presentation of historical facts help the reader to see history from a very different perspective than the mere accounting of events. The fact that there are many players in this story makes it lengthy but it proved to be very hard to put down. This book has the potential to change your concept of a history book because it really is a book about the people who made history.

A companion book I recommend is the collection of the 2015 Massey Lectures delivered by Margaret MacMillan and aired on the CBC. She chose her subjects, both women and men, because of each one’s unique contribution to history - their convictions, daring, desire for change – these are History’s People, Personalities and the Past. http://www.cbc.ca/radio/ideas/masseys

Valerie Van Cauwenberghe, CSJ